With Arms Wide Open
by olicityplease
Summary: Oliver Queen had been left for dead after being pushed off of a mountain by Ra's Al Ghul. But, he survived and has spent the last two months healing, trying to come home to Starling City... and Felicity Smoak. What will happen when he doesn't quite get the greeting he expected?
1. Chapter 1

He felt the blade go through his chest and the blood dripping from his mouth before he realized the sword had even been taken from him. He knew Ra's was saying some kind of prayer, but Oliver wasn't paying attention. He could only think about those he loves that he was about to be reunited with and those he was leaving behind. He first saw his father; a man who had murdered someone then turned the gun on himself just so Oliver could live. He would be seeing him soon. Then he saw his mother; strong, loving Moira Queen who had made so many mistakes and cost so many lives just to keep him and Thea safe, only for Oliver to fail her. He couldn't protect Thea. That was who he saw next. Not the woman who had been under Malcolm Merlyn's control while she killed Sara, but the girl who greeted him when he first came home from the island. His Thea. The most important woman in his life. The reason he was up here, slowly dying. Then he saw Felicity. The second most important person in his life, behind only Thea. She was his light. His love. His girl. She had been the first person he saw as a person after the island. The woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but couldn't because of his promise to protect Starling City. It took all of the strength he had to leave her in the foundry after finally professing his love for her the right way. He had finally told her he loved her in the most direct way he knew how, only to never be able to say it again. He wondered if she would forgive him for breaking the promise he had made her the previous year. _You're not going to lose me._ Those words echoed in his head as he accepted this would be his end. As Ra's raised his boot and shoved him over the mountain, Oliver's last thoughts were of a red pen, a fern, and a beautiful blonde woman he would never see again.

The next two months were filled with pain, agony and yearning. Maseo had saved his life in Hong Kong countless times and again after he was thrust off the mountain. Oliver was believed to be dead by the League of Assassins thanks to Maseo and he owed the man more than he could ever repay. He found Oliver on the side of the mountain and carried his body to the nearest cave, where Oliver spent the next two months slowly healing and getting his strength back. Once he was ready to go back to Starling, he thanked Maseo with a promise to come back for him one day and left. It was time to go home.

Oliver wasn't sure what he was expecting when he arrived back in Starling City. He didn't know how the team would react to him being back. Would they be happy? Relieved? Confused? Of all the possibilities that ran through his head, he never even thought of anger.

He quietly opened the door and the first person he saw was Diggle, who was training with someone. _Must be Roy_, Oliver thought. Oliver knew when he left that Diggle would continue helping the man who had become a partner to him. A legacy, in a way. He was about to start descending the stairs when he heard Felicity speak for the first time in two months. He would've smiled if she had said anything except what she said.

"I've gotta head to work. Ray needs me to finish this project we're working on, but it won't take long so I'll be back."

Oliver's heart sank at the mention of the man. But what did he expect? That she would just wait around for him? They had all probably assumed he was dead and had moved on with their lives. Oliver shouldn't hold that against them, but he couldn't help the ache he felt in his chest at the thought. Was he even wanted here anymore? The question plagued him. For the past two months, he had only ever dreamed of coming back and being reunited with those he considered his second family. Now that he was standing there, he wasn't sure what to do. Did he just walk down the stairs like nothing had ever happened? Like he hadn't disappeared for two months? Or did he leave and never come back? Let the people he loved continue in life without him?

He heard the muttered goodbyes to Felicity but his mind wasn't focused. If it was, he would've realized Felicity was walking towards the door to leave. The door he was standing in front of.

Just as he had decided to leave and placed his hand on the door handle to head out the way he came in, he heard a gasp and a whispered "Oliver?" behind him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He didn't have to turn around to know that was Felicity. How long had he waited to hear her say his name again? It was the sweetest sound to ever reach his ears. His heart pounded in his chest and reminded him it was still there. That it still beat for the woman who had kept him from completely losing his humanity while he was away. It reminded him that no matter what he did, his heart would forever belong to her.

He turned around to find Felicity staring up at him at the bottom of the stairs like she was seeing a ghost. Like she couldn't believe he was here. It was the first time he had laid eyes on her in too long. He drank her in like he was a man stranded in the desert with no water. She was wearing a short, black dress with her hair up in her signature ponytail and a red jacket folded over her arms. Just like every time he saw her before he left, she took his breath away. He noticed she had dark circles under her eyes and briefly wondered if he caused them before dismissing the thought. It was probably because of the project she was working on with Ray Palmer.

_Palmer. _Oliver internally cringed just thinking about his name, but now wasn't the time to think about him. It wasn't the time to over-analyze the kiss he had witnessed between the woman he loved and a man who had taken his company from him.

He shook his head, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind and finally started descending the steps to the woman who had been in every single dream while he was away. Diggle and Roy came to see what caused Felicity to be frozen in place and joined her in shock when they saw Oliver. He was about three steps from the bottom of the stairs when Felicity snapped out of it.

And to say he didn't expect what happened next would be a huge understatement.

Felicity blinked out of her stupor and Oliver noticed there were tears in her eyes. Shouldn't she be happy he was back? That he wasn't dead? _Maybe they're happy tears_, Oliver thought.

Oliver raised his hand to her shoulder, but before he could touch her – before he could experience that small piece of heaven that touching her allowed him – Felicity slapped him across the face with all of her strength and stormed past him, up the stairs, and out of the foundry without a second glance.


	2. Chapter 2

Oliver felt the sting in his heart more than he felt the sting on his face. He couldn't believe she had _slapped_ him. No words, no embrace, nothing. Oliver had never felt such pain. It wasn't even physical pain. No, that he could handle. He could deal with a sword through his chest. He could get past being shoved off of a mountain in freezing weather. But the woman he loves walking out on him? That felt a thousand times worse. It hurt him deep in his heart… in his _soul_.

He was pulled out of his shock by Diggle, who was snapping his fingers right in front of his face, and Roy who was looking at him in concern. Oliver hadn't even remembered they were there.

Before he could really understand what had just happened, Diggle was pulling him into a hug and asking him where he had been. He couldn't reply because Roy was throwing his own questions out there about Ra's and the fight and the League of Assassins. He couldn't keep up. He was still lost from what had happened with Felicity.

_Did she really just slap me? _That question was on repeat in Oliver's head and he felt like he was going through some type of out of body experience. He was answering Diggle and Roy's questions as best he could, but his mind was definitely not in that foundry. Just like his heart, it was with Felicity.

Two days passed and no one had heard from Felicity more than an "I'm okay" text message to Diggle. Oliver was going out of his mind. One moment he wanted to go to her apartment and demand her to tell him why she slapped him, and the next he was sulking on the bed she had bought him.

Diggle and Roy learned to keep their distance after he snapped at them because they wouldn't stop telling him to go to her and "work things out". Oliver wished it was that easy, but it wasn't. He had made the decision to be alone and he needed to stick to that.

He has to let her go.

When she finally returned to the foundry after the two days of silence, Oliver felt the weight of her absence lift from his chest. He heard her heels clicking down the stairs before he saw her and he allowed himself a moment of relief before turning to greet her. _Okay Oliver, get it together. This is business. You need to let her go. _Damn his subconscious.

He turned to her from his spot in the foundry where he was training with the practice dummy and mumbled a "Hi" before turning his attention back on the dummy. _That's not the only dummy down here, _he subconsciously chastised himself. Hi? Really? That was the best he could do?

He finished his workout half-heartedly. It was hard to concentrate when he could hear her typing away at her computers. She hadn't said anything to him when she came in; not even returning his lame "hi". He knew she was upset, but they were partners. They were supposed to protect this city together, along with Diggle and Roy, and the cold shoulder was going to affect that if she kept it up. Oliver needed to bite the bullet and get them past this. For Starling. _Or yourself. _

Oliver really wished his subconscious had died when he almost did. It was becoming a real ass hole.

He grabbed the shirt he had taken off to work out and threw it over his head before he slowly made his way over to Felicity. Now that he was closer, he could see she was wearing a white, loosely fitting blouse with a black pencil skirt. Probably her Palmer Technologies attire. Her hair was down and cascading around her shoulders and Oliver felt his body start to react to her.

No. He needs to stop. He can't be with her and he needs to stick by that decision instead of confusing himself, or her, even more.

He made sure to keep some distance between them as he approached her. His eyes never left her and he would've thought she hadn't even known he was there if it wasn't for the hitch in her breathing when he turned his body towards her and folded his arms across his chest, making it obvious he wanted to talk.

"Felicity. Can we talk?" Oliver tried to sound casual, but even he could hear he was anything but casual. He ended up sounding breathless, sad, and determined all at the same time.

Felicity stopped typing and simply sat there, staring at her computers for a moment. Oliver thought she was going to ignore him altogether, but before he could open his mouth to beg her to talk to him, she turned towards him with a smile on her face. It was odd, really. The smile wasn't what scared him.

It was the empty look in her eyes.

She looked at him as if he was nothing to her. As if he was a stranger instead of the man who loves her.

"What do we need to talk about, Oliver?" Felicity replied, seemingly looking through him instead of at him.

It broke his heart all over again how she was treating him, but he needed to get through this. They needed to hash this out so things could go back to how they were before he left.

"You know what we need to talk about. This. Us. You slapped me after seeing me for the first time in two months then left without a word. We need to talk about this so we can get back to saving the city." He immediately regretted the words because they sounded detached and unemotional, and Oliver was anything but.

Felicity rose out of her chair and took a step towards him, looking like she was ready to battle Ra's Al Ghul himself.

"We all thought you were dead, Oliver!" She spat at him, her voice raised with emotion. He flinched at her tone but before he could reply, she continued. "Nyssa came to visit us. Did you know that? She came to tell us you were _dead_. She told us you were stabbed and kicked off of a mountain. We _mourned_ you. All of us! For two months!" Tears were now flowing freely down her cheeks, but she kept going, not even bothering to wipe them away. "Then you show up out of the blue, just walking down the foundry stairs like nothing ever happened. But before I said your name… I saw you Oliver. You had turned around to leave. You weren't even going to come down the stairs. If I hadn't caught you, you would've walked right back out of that door and I never would've seen you again."

She was right. Oliver hated to admit it, but Felicity had been completely right. He had made the decision to leave and he would have. He hates that she's right.

He took a step forward, a very calculated step, and felt the tears that had formed in his eyes fall freely down his face. He knew what he needed to do. Not for him, but for her.

He took a deep breath before rising his eyes to meet hers before telling her the one thing he knew would change everything.

"You're right. I would've left and I wouldn't have returned. Ever. Because that's what I would do for you. And Thea, and Diggle, and Roy. I would leave this life in Starling City to keep all of you safe. To let all of you be _happy_." He shook his head, wiping the tears from his face with the heel of his hands. "_I_ made the decision to be the Arrow. _I_ made the decision to protect this city. This crusade is _mine_, it's not yours. And I'll be damned if any of you sacrifice your life for this crusade. All of you deserve to be happy, and I won't stand in the way of that. So yes, I would've left. I would've left the people I love so they can be happy. All of you would have been fine without me, and you would've been if you would've just let me go!"

He watched as Felicity took in his words and he just stood there as she closed her heart to him. He could see it before his very eyes. Just like before they started talking a few minutes ago, her eyes held no emotion and the love he used to see lighting up her eyes was gone.

Just like that.


	3. Chapter 3

"_Do you, Oliver Jonas Queen, accept this woman – Felicity Megan Smoak – as your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?"_

"_I do."_

"_And do you, Felicity Megan Smoak, accept this man – Oliver Jonas Queen – as your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?"_

_Oliver looked at his soon-to-be wife with love in his eyes. He couldn't believe this day had finally come. Before she could answer, however, Oliver felt a sharp pain in his chest then felt blood drip out of his mouth._

_Oliver looked down to see a blade cutting through his chest just as it had with Ra's Al Ghul, but instead of Ra's at the end of the sword, it was Felicity. _

"_Felicity?" Oliver whispered, taking a step back in shock. _

_Felicity had a mischievous grin on her face and Oliver felt pain in his chest where the sword hadn't even touched. _

"_I'm sorry, Oliver, but you left, and I love Ray now." Felicity said, Ray Palmer suddenly appearing next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist._

_Oliver was speechless, and as he felt his consciousness slipping away, his last thought was _why_?_

Oliver shot up in bed, sweating profusely. It had only been a dream. _It had only been a dream._

_Thank God. _Oliver thought, immediately relieved. But as he laid down to go back to sleep, there was a voice in the back of his head that wouldn't shut up. It was repeating his worst nightmare like it was a promise more than a reminder:

_She will move on, Oliver, and that won't be a dream._

The next day, Oliver was at the apartment he shared with Thea when there was a knock on the door. He knew it wasn't Thea because she had just left, and he wasn't expecting any company, so he had no idea who the visitor could be. He made his way towards the door and looked through the peep hole. He saw Diggle standing on the other side of the door, carrying baby Sara in her car seat. Oliver threw open the door and moved to let them both in.

He grabbed Sara from Diggle and put her in the living room on the couch while Diggle warmed up a bottle for her. He was taking her out of the car seat when Diggle spoke up.

"So, what's going on with you and Felicity?"

Oliver groaned, not wanting to talk about it. He knew Diggle would bring it up. Oliver had hoped he would try small talk first, but he should've known better; John Diggle was never one for small talk.

He placed Sara in the pack-n-play Oliver had bought just for the apartment – actually, Felicity had bought it, knowing it would be needed – and turned his attention towards Diggle.

He bought himself some time, getting situated on the couch and letting Diggle do the same. They had an uncomfortable silence for a minute before his partner cleared his throat, letting him know to start talking.

Oliver stilled for a moment, not knowing where to begin, then started from the beginning. "When I came back, I… well… almost _didn't_ come back. I was standing at the top of the stairs in the foundry and debated just leaving and never coming back; just letting all of you think I was dead. My hand was on the handle to leave when Felicity said my name. Well, last night, Felicity let me know she saw me turn to leave. She had seen me standing up there before she called my name, and I guess she just knew what I was going to do. She called me out on it, on my willingness to just leave all of you. And instead of denying it, I told her the truth. You and I both know I can never lie to her. So, I told her I would've left if it wasn't for her."

Diggle flinched in response to Oliver's last sentence. Even he knew Felicity hadn't reacted well to that.

"Then, she just left. She grabbed her stuff and walked out of the foundry without another word. But, Digg, her _eyes_ before she left… It was like all the light in them vanished." Oliver finished, looking down at his hands. He felt the tears in his eyes but willed them away.

He couldn't regret this now. She deserved better than this life.

She deserved better than _him_.

"I think that's for her to decide, man." Diggle said simply, shrugging his shoulders. "You can't keep making these decision for her. First after your date you tell her you can't be with her, then after Sara dies, and again with Cupid… She's probably had enough of you deciding the future of your relationship. As much as this is your life, it's hers too. And if you don't get yours together, you'll lose her."

Oliver sat and thought about Diggle's words long after the men finished talking and Diggle left with Sara. Was he right? Well, of course he was right. He's Diggle; he's always right. But could Oliver put aside his fears before he lost her?

He knows he loves her. He knows he wants to be with her. But does she even want to be with him anymore? Oliver couldn't answer that question, but he knew who could.

He made his way to Felicity's apartment that night on his motorcycle. She hadn't come to the foundry that night and Oliver knew he needed to talk to her. He needed to fix this, yet again. He couldn't wait.

As he pulled up to her apartment, he saw the light in her apartment was on and smiled. At least she was awake. He quickly got off his motorcycle and put his helmet on the seat before climbing the stairs to her door. Her apartment complex was different than the ones in the city. Instead of all of the apartment doors being in a building, they were spread out and each had their own set of stairs. So once he reached her door, he knocked three times before shoving his hands in his jean pockets. He could hear the tv on the other side of the door, then light footsteps making their way toward the door. He took a deep breath right before she swung the door open.

"Oliver? What are you doing here? Is Diggle okay? Roy?" She asked, seeming alarmed. He probably should've thought this through. Why else would he just show up? He didn't mean to frighten her; he just needed to talk to her.

Oliver quickly reassured her that both men were fine and smiled as the tension left her body. But before he could revel in that for long, she was tense again, asking him why he was there.

"Uh… I… Actually… I…" Oliver couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence because he was suddenly nervous. More nervous than when he had asked her out on their date, and that had been the most nervous he had ever been in his life. This moment, apparently, topped that.

He took a deep breath, trying to get his thoughts in order, and just as he was about to ask her if he could come in, he heard a familiar voice coming from behind Felicity.

"Felicity? Is everything okay?"

Oliver stilled as he realized Felicity wasn't alone at eleven o'clock at night and felt his heartbeat race even more than it already was. Except this time, it wasn't because the love of his life was standing right in front of him.

It was because, for the first time since he returned, he considered why Felicity didn't have any love in her eyes for him.

She had it for someone else.


	4. Chapter 4

Oliver watched as Felicity turned to the voice behind her and said "Yeah, everything is fine. I'll be back in a minute." She grabbed her jacket and stepped outside, closing the door behind her. She looked up at Oliver, waiting for him to say something, but Oliver just stood there.

He wasn't sure what to say anymore. He had come there with the intent to find out how Felicity feels about him so they could figure out where they stand with one another, but having another man in her apartment certainly changed things. Had she moved on? Was he too late? Oliver felt a chill in the air at his thoughts. He thought back to how things had been for them before he left those months ago. They had been rocky, sure, but he had made sure to let her know how he felt about her always. While he couldn't be with Felicity, he was in love with her. He didn't want her to ever doubt that. Not for a second. As much as he needed oxygen to stay alive, he needed Felicity in order to truly _live_.

"Why are you here, Oliver?" Felicity asked, snapping him out of his thoughts and bringing his attention back to her. She didn't sound upset, which was a good thing, but she sounded… exasperated.

Oliver started backing away, almost stumbling down the stairs, muttering "Uh… nothing. It's nothing. Go back to your date. I'll see you… later." He should've known this wasn't a good idea. Last time he had gone to tell her that he wanted to be with her, he found her kissing Ray Palmer. Why would this time be any different?

He had turned around to fly down the stairs as fast as he could when he heard Felicity say "Date? What date?"

He froze, turning towards her and now he just felt… angry. The jealousy he had been feeling since seeing her with Palmer was burning deep inside of him and before he knew it, he was releasing all of the anger and frustration he had been feeling since he returned. "What date, Felicity? Really? How about the voice that I heard when you opened the door? I knew something had happened between you two when you went to Central City for a week, but I thought… You know what? It doesn't matter what I thought. Obviously I was wrong about you."

Felicity visibly recoiled at his words before her cheeks flamed. _Uh oh. You pissed her off. Here comes the loud voice. _Oliver thought, preparing himself for what she was going to say.

"_You_ wrong about _me_?!" Yep, Oliver was definitely right about the loud voice. "How about the other way around! You're automatically assuming that just because Barry is here that we're _dating_?! Are you kidding me?!" Felicity practically yelled at Oliver, causing him to raise his voice to match hers.

"It's almost midnight, Felicity! What else was I supposed to think? First, you walk away from me in the hallway after I kissed you, never speaking of it again. Second, I leave to fight a battle to the _death_ and I tell you that I love you and you don't say anything in return. Nothing. Third, you think I'm dead for two months then I come back and instead of being relieved, you _slap_ me! So, please, do tell me where I'm wrong about you!"

Oliver had to catch his breath after all that. He was mad, hurt, angry and brokenhearted all at once. Did she really not understand what she had put him through since their date? She had acted like they had never had that moment in the hallway; a moment that was the last moment Oliver had thought of before being thrown off of a mountain. He knew he had just told her he couldn't be with her, but he thought she would say something more than "I told you that once we talked, it would be over." The memory of that kiss was burned into his mind forever. Not only his mind, but it had etched itself into his heart as well. He found himself reliving that moment a countless number of times in the following months. Whenever he was thrown off that mountain, certain he was going straight to hell for all of his sins, he reminded himself that for just a moment, he had already reached heaven. His own version of heaven that was filled with Felicity, her lips, and her face in his hands. It was a moment he was sure he would never forget.

He watched as Felicity turned away from him, covering her face with her hands. His first instinct was to comfort her, but he needed to keep his distance. They were not on good terms and he knew she was upset because of what he said. But he couldn't bring himself to regret saying them; they needed to be said. He needed to tell her exactly how he's been feeling if they were ever going to go back to being partners. Hoping for anything more than that was pointless, especially with Barry only a few feet away, comfortably inside her apartment.

When Felicity turned back to him, her eyes were full of unshed tears and Oliver immediately wished he could take the words back. He hadn't meant to hurt her; he never wanted to hurt her. That was why he had made that decision after their first date. He needed to keep her safe from those who plagued this city. But he never even considered _he_ would be the one to hurt her.

Felicity looked him in the eyes and he could see so many emotions behind the blue orbs that he had dreamed about for months. He just wanted to kick Barry out of her apartment, hold her in his arms, and whisper sweet nothings into her ear all night. But Oliver knew he couldn't do that. Felicity wasn't his and he needed to accept that.

"Oliver… I am going to tell you something and I need you to _listen_, okay?" Felicity paused, and when Oliver nodded his head in acquiescence, she continued. "First, I walked away from you in the hallway because you had just told me you couldn't be with me then kissed me. What else was I supposed to do? I know you, Oliver. You wouldn't have changed your mind. This city comes first for you, and that's okay. I get it. The city needs you, that'll never change. But that night in the hallway, I wanted you to choose me. I wanted you to tell me that we could get through anything together. But you didn't. Instead, you told me you couldn't be with me, kissed me, then let me walk away. Second, I wasn't willing to tell you how I feel when you could've been going to your death. That's not how I'm going to tell you I love you, Oliver Queen. There will be no life or death situation in the upcoming hours when I tell you the way I feel about you. Third, I slapped you because you would've just left us. Me, Digg, and Roy. This team that you built that came together because of you. You would've just left us without a second glance. You wouldn't have even told us you were alive! You were willing to let us believe for the rest of our lives that you had died on that damn mountain, and that's cruel! So yes, I slapped you. But I did it because you deserved it!" Felicity said, taking a deep breath.

Oliver opened his mouth then closed it repeatedly, unsure of what to reply. Felicity held her hand up, indicating she needed him to be quiet, before turning around, putting her hand on the door to her apartment, and whispering "And I'm not with Barry, Oliver. As perfect as he is for me, he's not you."

Oliver watched in shock as she opened the door, went into her apartment and closed the door behind her, not saying another word.


	5. Chapter 5

He stared at the door Felicity had just disappeared behind for what seemed like hours, trying to absorb the last of her words. _"He's not you." _Had she really said that? Oliver fought the part of him that began she had even said that, but he was done running away from her. If she said she wasn't with Barry, then he believed her. _Maybe I do still have a chance, _Oliver thought, before knocking on her door for the second time that night. Not letting him talk when he had a lot to say then walking away wasn't going to work. Not this time. He was done letting her walk away from him.

"Felicity, I-" Oliver started, but stopped when he saw it was Barry who had opened the door. The last time Oliver had seen Barry was when Barry, Caitlin and Cisco helped them take down that guy with the boomerangs. Captain Boomerang, Oliver believed Cisco had called him. As much as Oliver wanted to see Felicity, he knew he had to get through Barry first. Apparently he had some words for Oliver if the way he was stepping out into the frigid night air, closing the door tightly shut behind him had any indication.

"Oliver." Barry said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Barry." Oliver replied, copying the younger man's stance. Oliver expected Barry to read him the riot act of "If you hurt Felicity, I'll run you to the nearest ocean and drop you in the middle of it" crap, but he didn't. Instead, Barry grinned and completely surprised Oliver with his next words.

"I'm really hoping you're knocking on that door again to tell Felicity you love her and that your 'Guys like us don't get the girl' speech was total crap. Otherwise, I'll need to question your sanity and take you back to Central City and run a bunch of labs. You were pretty close to dying according to Felicity, so…" Barry trailed off, shrugging his shoulders.

Oliver couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face, and before he knew it, Barry was gone.

Oliver knocked on Felicity's door again, hearing a quiet "Come in" from Felicity, before letting himself in. He had been to her apartment before, but it had been very brief. Not much had changed, Oliver noted. She still had the same furniture, but instead of a small table in the middle, there was a yoga mat. Felicity did yoga? Before he allowed his brain to think about _that _too much, he saw Felicity sitting on the sofa, legs folded underneath her.

"Did you remember to get chopsticks? I think I ran out." Felicity said, obviously expecting Barry and not Oliver. "If not, it's okay. We can just be lame and use- Oh."

Oliver watched as Felicity flushed, realizing she was talking to him instead of Barry. He made his way around the couch and sat at the other end, facing her. She was wearing a tank top and sweat pants, her hair in a messy ponytail and no makeup. Oliver realized he liked her best this way.

"Hi. Barry actually left. I… uh… I don't know where he went." Oliver told her, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. He obviously wanted to be there, but did she want him there?

"He probably went back to Central City. He got here earlier this afternoon and needed some advice. I guess he got it." Felicity told him, eyes downcast. "He finally told Iris he's in love with her, but apparently she is moving in with her boyfriend, so he's been upset for a few months. After you left, we became really close. Wait! Not like that… just great friends. Yeah. We're just friends… not that I need to explain that to you. We certainly aren't together… Not that us being together would affect my friendship with him… You know, feel free to stop me anytime." Felicity laughed, ending her rant.

Oliver just smiled at her. He had missed this. Things had been tense between them for so long, that he had forgotten how easy it was to just… be with her. "No, please continue. I've missed this." Oliver told her, suddenly feeling timid. Oliver Queen – playboy billionaire who could have any woman he wanted – feeling shy because of a woman. Who would've thought that would ever happen? Certainly not Oliver, but here he was, feeling a blush rise on his cheeks as he told her "I've missed you."

He saw as Felicity took in his words, the blush creeping up her chest and stopping at her cheeks. As much as he wanted to just sit there and enjoy the sight of her, he knew he couldn't. He needed her to know how he felt. No tense situations, no goodbyes. Just speak from the heart.

_Because you're always good at that, aren't you?_ Oliver's subconscious reared its ugly head again, but Oliver ignored it. It was time to do this.

"I love you, Felicity." Oliver started, hearing her small intake of breath before he continued. "I'm not sure when it happened or how it happened, but I love you. When I went to fight Ra's, I had every intention of coming back and showing you how much I am in love with you, but that didn't go to plan. I know it took me a while to come back and I know things with have been tense, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. Nothing could change how I feel about you. You came into my life at such a dark time, and I know I didn't see it at first, but you were like this beacon of light in my life. When things were bad with my family or Laurel or even Diggle, you were always there. Your belief in me has guided me to be a better man – not only for Starling City but for you as well. I don't know if I'll ever be enough for you, but I hope-"

Oliver was cut off with Felicity's mouth on his. He could feel the tears that had fallen down her cheeks on his face as she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing them closer together.

His reaction to her was immediate – he wrapped one arm around her waist and placed his free hand on her face, much like he had done in the hospital all those months ago. Except this time, it wasn't an end.

It was a beginning.

Felicity pushed away from Oliver and for a moment, he thought she had regretted it. He thought she was going to push away from him and tell him to leave, but when he opened his eyes, he saw a smile on her face as she rested her forehead against his.

"I love you, Oliver. You will always be enough for me." She whispered, before placing a soft kiss on his lips.

Oliver would never get tired of the feeling of her soft body against his.

"I'm sorry for slapping you when you got back." Felicity told him. "I just… I was so broken when Nyssa told us you were dead and I mourned the love of my life, Oliver. I wondered if you would've made it if I had just told you that I loved you. Then, you were gone. I thought I would never get to tell you how I felt. For two months, I just laid in bed, whispering how sorry I was and how much I regretted not telling you how I felt. I thought you were dead. Then, when I saw you in the foundry ready to leave, I lost it. I couldn't believe you were back at first – I thought I had officially gone insane and were now seeing my dead… whatever you were – but when I saw you turn around to leave, I knew it really was you. Then it hit me that you were _leaving_ and… I don't know. I couldn't believe you would've just left like that. You may think that you leaving would've made us happy, but we _need _you, Oliver. As much as Starling City needs you, we need you even more." Felicity finished, tears racing down her cheeks.

Oliver lifted his thumb to wipe away her tears, but instead, he leaned forward and kissed them away. He liked that he could do that now. When he pulled back, he took Felicity's hands in his and said "I'm sorry. I was being selfish in leaving without talking to all of you first. I'm sorry you had to go through all of that while I was away… But I promise to never leave you again. I'm here to stay." Oliver promised, kissing her once more before laying them both down on the couch, Felicity in his arms. As much as he wanted to carry her to her bedroom and show her exactly how much he had missed her, he had dreamed about holding her in his arms the entire time he was gone, so that's what he did. He spent the entire night listening to her even breathing, promising to never leave her.

With Felicity by his side, Oliver faced the future with arms wide open.


End file.
